What’s That Smell? It’s Skunks in Love.
Love is in the air and you can smell it everywhere. That’s because it’s skunk mating season, and though that smell may be irresistible to a female suitor, it is nauseating to humans.
Not nearly as cute as the cartoon Pepe Le Pew, these real-life romances can be smelt for nearly two miles, attracting female skunks from afar during mating season. The result is a nose nuisance for home owners that can last well into the spring. So, if your property has been invaded by this mating ritual and you are waiting it out hoping the smell will “go away soon,” here’s just a few things to know about skunks that may change your mind and have you reaching out to your local exterminator.
Reasons You Should Call Pest Control if a Skunk is Mating Near Your Home
Male skunks are polygamists.
Male skunks don’t just find a single female mate and then stop spraying. They try to find AS MANY suitors as possible during a mating season, meaning they will not stop trying to attract females with their scent all season long.
The mating season is several months.
The skunk mating season can start as early as January in Central Oregon and last through up to mid-April! That’s nearly an entire winter, and half a spring, of skunk odor.
Skunks spray for a variety of reasons.
Not only do male skunks spray to attract females during mating season, they also spray to deter other males or if they feel threatened.
Female skunks spray too.
While males are typically thought of as the scent aggressor, female skunks will spray a male skunk if they do not want to mate with them; like pepper spray for female skunks.
They aren’t just stinky, but noisy too.
Aggressive males during mating season may hiss, squeal, whine, grumble or screech when mating or trying to attract a female skunk.
They can have a lot of babies.
Female skunks, with a gestation period of 60-days, generally birth litters of four to seven pups.
It’s a family affair.
Pups will live with their mother for up to 8 weeks, meaning a litter of up to seven skunks taking residence with you for two solid months.
Skunks are prone to rabies.
Rabies is transmitted by the bite of a wild or domestic rabid mammal such as a skunk.
They can spray far, and wide.
Skunks can spray their scent glands up to 15 feet.
It’s difficult to “un-stink” what’s been sprayed.
Sprayed surfaces are difficult to remove skunk smell from, as is animal fur/hair. Skunk smell can remain on skin and pet hair for days, weeks and even months.
Once a skunk takes residence in your home or on your property, they can be difficult to rid of because they only come out at night when it’s dark so they can be hard to spot, causing a nose nuisance for months and potentially spraying your home or animals. If you have a suspected skunk problem or skunks with a habit of making a hotel room out of your home, call the C.O.P.S. at Central Oregon Pest Solutions: 541-600-9008.
